Martin Keown has identified Julian Alvarez as a potential signing who could elevate Arsenal to 'another level' and help the club end their long wait for Champions League glory. The former Arsenal defender's comments come after the Gunners secured a 3-0 Community Shield victory over Manchester City on Sunday, with new signings Christos Tzolis and Bruno Guimaraes impressing on their full debuts.
Arsenal's Summer Transfer Activity
Arsenal have been active in the summer transfer window, aiming to strengthen following their Premier League title triumph under Mikel Arteta last season. The club activated a £35million option to sign Piero Hincapie permanently from Bayer Leverkusen, and also completed deals for Club Brugge winger Christos Tzolis and free agent Illan Meslier. Despite missing out on top attacking target Vinicius Junior, the £75m arrival of Bruno Guimaraes was seen as a statement of intent.
However, Arteta is reportedly keen to add more firepower before the transfer deadline, with links to Galatasaray's Victor Osimhen, PSG's Bradley Barcola, and Juventus' Kenan Yildiz. Keown, speaking to talkSPORT's Jim White, suggested that revisiting a move for Atletico Madrid's Alvarez could be the key, despite Diego Simeone's insistence that the striker is not for sale.
Keown's Assessment of Arsenal's Needs
Asked if there could still be a 'missing link' in Arteta's squad, Keown said: 'We're talking about key signings and what they do next. Obviously that's an area… European dominance, never mind domestic dominance, the next step. Of course, the two strikers are under pressure to make that happen. It may be that someone like Alvarez [could be the man]. He's a player that they looked at last season, they thought about bringing in and that could be the sort of player they're looking at.'
Keown emphasized the importance of making the right decisions: 'They need to decide. That's the key at the moment, is the decisions. The ambition is there but they've got to make key signings at the right times. If you want to win the Champions League then we know you've got to go to another level.' He noted that Tzolis 'did exceptionally well yesterday, he got two assists in the game, but that would be an area.' Keown also speculated about Gabriel Martinelli's absence from the squad, saying, 'Martinelli wasn't on the pitch, he wasn't involved in the group. Does that tell me he's on his way? I don't know. But maybe that's an area they will want to strengthen, in wide areas, to be really super strong in those positions.'
Encouragement from Vinicius Junior Pursuit
Despite Arsenal's failure to sign Vinicius Junior from Real Madrid, Keown was encouraged that his former club were even in the 'conversation' for the Brazil international. He said: 'Who do they buy next? They can go really big. It was good news that they were in the conversation for Vinicius Junior because that's where they're looking next.'
Keown admitted he never thought the deal would happen, but added: 'What pleased me was that's the sort of target you want to be going after. If you're talking in those terms then you're going to new levels and that's where Arsenal are right now. It's really key that they make the right signings next to take the club to the next level. If you're coming into that group now, you're almost having to step into the team at a high level. Maybe in wide positions, maybe at centre-forward and maybe at right-back there might be some business to be done.'
Keown's Outlook on Arsenal's Future
Keown expressed optimism about Arsenal's direction, stating: 'I don't think Arsenal are finished yet and there's a feeling of desire and ambition in the club that I haven't sensed for many years.' He hopes to see Arsenal assert themselves as the dominant force in English football this season, but acknowledged the challenge: 'I think they're capable of doing that. I don't think it's going to be easy. I think what they need to do, though, is hone in on domestic dominance.'
